Work reaches new heights in Eisenhower K-12 expansion

October 7, 2013

Work continues at Eisenhower Middle High School and visible progress is being made at Sheffield Area Middle Senior High School as the Warren County School District seeks to convert both buildings to K-12 entities starting next school year.

Article Photos

Times Observer photo by Josh CottonGoing upSteel beams are lifted into place at Eisenhower Middle High School last Thursday at what will eventually be the elementary wing of the K-12 facility.

Director of Buildings and Grounds Dr. Norbert Kennerknecht told the school board's Physical Plant and Facilities Committee on Monday that a crane is on site at Eisenhower and that "steel is being erected for the elementary wing."

While the cafeteria was completed over the summer, Kennerknecht highlighted a new pulper that has cut the lunch room's trash from eight to 12 bags per day to between one and one and a half. He said that the new machine will cut down on dumpster use as well as the school's "carbon footprint and landfill use."

"It's a big reduction in waste," he added, noting that it was not designed for heavy plastic bottles, cell phones or counts. "We've had a cell phone through there," he said.

Kennerknecht also explained that solar tubes installed in the restrooms, which were part of the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds application the low-to-no interest federal bonds used to fund the project run from the ceiling to the roof. He explained that sunlight comes in the tube and the "number of lumens it puts out is incredible." In addition to providing light, the rays are collected by solar collectors located on the top of the sink and converted to battery power that operates the hand washing device.

"That way we're harvesting energy from the sun," he noted, in addition to geothermal wells located on the site and the capacity to utilize rainwater for flushing toilets.

At Sheffield, Kennerknecht said four new boilers are being installed, part of the relatively small amount of QZAB funding at that site. In addition, some of the piers have been constructed for the elementary addition.

With both of the additions still open to the elements currently, committee member Dr. Paul Yourchisin asked if crews will work straight through the winter.

Kennerknecht noted that they will but said that the "objective will be to get closed in and get everything in out of the snow."

Board Vice President Donna Zariczny asked if anyone would move into the additions during this school year. Kennerknecht said that the expected completion date of the additions is in May which "doesn't really buy us anything. August (is) really the completion date. That gives us plenty of time to complete (the) Sheffield addition and (the) Eisenhower addition."